Automobile lock



A. C. MABEE AUTOMOBILE LOCK Nov. 30, 193 7.

Filed May 18, 195

a so" that the arms"willsecure1y 'clampthe tube Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Oakes Products Corporation, 11 1 a corporation of Michigan 7 North Chicago,

Application May 18, 1936, SerialNo. 80,385

11 Claims.

, My invention relates to automobile locks and particularly to a unitary lock structure oper-' able for locking the steering and-the ignition against unauthorized operation; the general object being to produce a simple and efficient lock structure which may be economically manufactured.

An important object of the invention is to provide a lock structure in which the lock member is in the form of a swinging bolt normally operable in one plane into steering looking or unlocking position and adapted, when moved to unlocking position, to be shifted into another plane intooperative engagement with a switch so that movement of the bolt in saidsecond plane may be used for turning the ignition switch on or 01f.

A further object of the invention is to control the swinging of the locking bolt by means of a lock structure preferably of the cylindertumbler type, with the locking 'bolt secured to the tumbler cylinder and with spring means effective to shift the bolt and lock structure outwardly as soon as thebolt has been moved to unlocking position, for passage 'into its second plane of operation, whereby swing of'the bolt by turning of the key will thenefiect operation of the switch. i

The above referred to and other features of the invention are shown incorporated in the structure disclosed on the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lock structure on plane I-I of Figure 2, and shows the lock applied to a steering column;

Figure 2 is a section on plane IIII of Figurel;

Figure 3 is a section ure 1; V

Figure 4 is a section on plane IV--IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows the movable switch member within its housing;

Figure 6 is a section like Figure 1 but showing a modified arrangement; and V r on plane IIIIII of Fig- Figure 7 is a view of the end of the shaft extending from the tumbler barrel showing the modified mounting thereon of the locking member.

The lock structure comprises the body I having the semi-circular arms Hand 12 extending therefrom for surrounding thetube I3 through which the steering shaft l4 extends, the ends of the arms being'drawn together by a screw l l3 to hold the lock structure in position thereon. A locking ring or bushing I6 is inserted between the steering shaft and the tube 13 and is rigidly secured to the shaft and has the substantially V-shape locking'notch I! therein which registers with the opening 18 in the tube l3.

Within the lock body lll'are the outer and inner operating chambers l9 and 20 separatedby a partition wall 2| which may be removable. As shown, the body It has the slot 22 around the chambers into which the partition wall may be slid when the lock structure is assembled. Such insertion of the wall may be through the bottom of the lock body which is normally open but which after assembly is closed by a cover plate 23.

The lock body ID has the upper annular extension 24 for receiving the cylindrical frame 25 of a tumbler lock structure, said lock frame receiving the tumbler cylinder 26 into which a key may be inserted for turning thereof in a manner well understood in the art. I

On the lock body, opposite the extension 24, is the extension 21 having the cylindrical bore 28 for receiving the cylindrical extension or plunger' 29 on the lock tumbler cylinder, the axis of the lock structure being at right angles to the axis of the steering shaft M. Securedto the plunger 29 adjacent to the end of the lock cylinder, as by means of a set screw 30, is the looking member-"st in the form of a rectangular bolt adapted to be swung normally in the operating chamber when the lock cylinder is turned. The chamber 20 is in alignment with theopening l8 inthe tube l3 and the locking notch ll inthe bushing IS on the steering shaft. A spring 32 in the bore 28 of the extension 2'l tends to shift the lock structure and locking; bolt outwardly, but when the bolt is in looking position with its outer end in the locking notch ll, shifting of the lock structure is prevented by the engagementof the lock bolt against the side of the locking notch and against the partition 2|. Whenthe bolt is in locking position and the key is withdrawn from the lock the bolt will be held in looking position as the tumblers will then lock the lockcylinder to'the lock frame 2 5.

The partition wall 2| has a vertical passageway 33 therethrough, and when the key is inserted in the lock and turnedto swing the locking bolt3l to unlocking position, the bolt will be inalignment with the passageway33 and will then be free'sd that the force of the spring 32 will shift the bolt throughthe passageway and info' the ng cha er l9 a d the. oc yl: maerana'as'rrame'zs will be shifted outwardly in the extension 24. The lock frame is held against rotary movement by means of a pin 34 in the extension wall engaging in the longitudinally extending slot 35 in the frame, the slot being of sufficient length to permit the axial shift of the lock structure when the bolt is swung to unlocln'ng position. When the key is turned in the lock for swing of the locking bolt to unlocking position, the swing of the bolt will be stopped by its engagement with the abutment face 38 on the wall of the housing l9, and the bolt will then be accurately aligned for shift through the passageway 33 and into the operating chamber 119. The bolt has a tail pin 31 extending therefrom for cooperation with the switch means to be described later, and the partition wall 2| has the passageway 38 for this tail piece when the bolt is shifted into the operating chamber 59.

The switch structure comprises a housing 39 which may be secured to the cover plate 23, and in this housing is a movable switch member 46 in the form of a rectangular block of insulating material and carrying a Switchblade 4|. The switch block is pivoted at one end as by means of a pin 42 and with the corresponding end of the switch blade in electrical engagement with a terminal post 43 on the outside of the housing, the housing also supporting another terminal post 44 adapted for engagement with the free end of the switch blade when the switch block is turned.

At its outer end the switch block has an upstanding extension 45 provided with slot 46. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the switch is in open position, the slot 46 will be in alignment with the passageway 38 in the partition 2| to receive the end of the tail pin 3'! on the locking bolt 3| when the locking bolt and pin are shifted from the chamber 20 into the chamber I9. When the locking bolt passes into the chamber l9, it will be freed from the abutment face 36 and it may then be turned with the lock cylinder so that its tail pin 31 will swing the switch block 40 for engagement of the switch blade 4| with the terminal 44 to close a circuit, and this circuit may be the ignition circuit for the engine connected with the terminals 43 and 44.

When the bolt structure is within the operating chamber IS, the lock may be turned by the key for swing of the bolt and actuation of the switch by the tail pin 31 to either closed or open position for closure or opening of the ignition circuit, and the spring 32 will tend to keep the bolt and lock structure in such switch operating field. During movement of the switch tocircuit closing position the locking bolt will be blocked by the partition wall 2|, and the bolt and lock structure cannot then be shifted inwardly. Before the bolt can be shifted back into the operating chamber 213 for locking of the steering, the bolt must first be swung back into registration with the passageway 33 after the ignition circuit has been opened and the pressure on the lock structure will shift it inwardly against the force of the spring 32 and the locking bolt will be returned to operating chamber 20 whereafter turning of the key will swing the locking bolt back into steering locking position. In the operation of my improved lock structure it is therefore necessary to fully unlock the steering before the switch can be operated to close the ignition circuit, and the ignition circuit must first be fully opened before the steering can again be locked, and accidental locking of the steering while the ignition circuit is on will be prevented.

In the structure of Figures 1, 2, and 3, the locking bolt 3| cannot be swung into the locking notch unless the steering wheel is already in position or is brought into position for reception of the bolt end by the notch. To avoid such adjustment of the steering wheel the arrangement shown in Figures 6 and 7 may be used. The looking bolt or bar 41 is rotatably mounted on the plunger end 29 of the lock cylinder and has the slot 48 for receiving a collar 49 secured on the plunger end as by a pin 50. This collar has the tail pin 5| for cooperating with the switch, and the collar has a flat section 52 against which the bottom of the slot 48 in the lock bar is normally held by a spring 53 mounted on the pin 5|. Figure 6 shows the locking bar in locking position'with the base of the slot against the fiat of the collar 49, and when the key is now turned in the lock, the engagement of the flat of the collar 45 with the bolt will swing the bolt out of locking position and into alignment with the passageway 33 through the partition 2|, so that the lock bar structure may be shifted into the chamber IQ for operation to control the switch. When the lock bar structure is shifted back into the chamber 2|] and turned towards steering locking position, the end of the locking bar will engage in the locking notch I! if such notch is in the proper position. If the notch is displaced from such locking position, the end of the bolt will encounter the cylindrical face of the bushing IE, but the lock cylinder may be turned by the key back to normal position against the resistance of the spring 53. Then as soon as the steering wheel is turned to bring the locking notch into alignment with the locking bolt, the spring will swing the bolt into the notch, and the steering will be locked. The passage 33 through the partition 2| will be made of suflicient size to permit the locking bar and the tail pin 5| and the spring 53 to pass therethrough into the operating chamber l9 after the locking bar has been swung to unlocking position.

I have thus shown a practical and eificient embodiment of the various features of my invention, but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement, and operation shown and described, as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. A lock of the class described comprising a locking bolt rotatable in either of two parallel planes, a single means for rotating said bolt in either plane, said bolt when rotated by said means in one plane being moved to looking or unlocking position, means for shifting said bolt into the other plane after it has been moved to unlocking position, and control means operated during rotation of said bolt by said operating means in said other plane.

2. A steering post-ignition lock comprising a locking bar selectively shiftable to either one of two operating planes, a single actuating means for rotating said bar in either plane, said bar when rotated by said actuating means in one of said planes causing looking or unlocking of the steering, means for shifting said bar into the other operation plane after it has been moved from locking position in the first plane, a switch, and means whereby said switch is controlled dur ing movement of said bolt in the second plane.

3. In a combined steering post and ignition lock, an actuating structure bodily movable into either one of two operating fields, a locking bar, and a control for an ignition circuit, said actuating structure when moved into one of said fields being operable to cause swing of said locking bar to lock or unlock the steering post, and when moved into the other field being operable to actuate said circuit control to open or close the circuit without locking of said steering post by said bar.

4. In a combination steering post and ignition lock, an actuating structure and means for bodily moving said structure into either of two operating fields, a lock bar carried by said structure, and a control for an ignition circuit, said actuating structure when in one of said fields being operable to cause swing of said bar to steering looking or unlocking position without affecting said circuit control, said structure when moved into the other field being operable to actuate said control for opening or closing of the ignition circuit without locking of the steering post by said bar.

5. In a combination steering and ignition lock,

a rotatable actuating structure having a steering locking bar connected therewith and being axially shiftable to move said bar out of an effective operating field, said bar when in said field being rotatable by said actuating structure to lock or unlock the steering and when moved out of said field being ineffective to lock the steering, and an ignition circuit control operable by said actuating structure only when said bar is out of its effective field of operation.

6. In a combination steering and ignition look, a rotatable actuating structure and a steering locking bar carried thereby, said bar being normally positioned by said actuating structure for rotation thereby to unlock the steering, means effective after unlocking of the steering to shift said structure to position said bar for rotation thereof by said structure without effecting relocking of the steering, and a control for an ignition circuit operable by said actuating structure after shift thereof.

7. In a combination steering and ignition look, a rotatable locking bar, an actuating structure normally positioning said bar in a plane in which it may be rotated to lock or unlock the steering, means effective after rotation of said bar to unlocking position to shift the bar axially into a plane where rotation thereof cannot re-lock the steering, and an ignition circuit control operable by said actuating structure to open and close the ignition circuit after shift of said bar.

8. In a combination steering and ignition look, a rotatable actuating structure having a locking bar extending laterally therefrom, said structure being normally in position for rotation thereof to swing said bar into steering locking or unlocking position, means effective after swing of said bar to unlocking position to shift said structure where rotation thereof cannot swing said bar for re-locking the steering, and control means operable after shifting of said structure to open and close an ignition circuit.

9. In a combination steering and ignition lock, a rotatable actuating structure and a locking bar extending therefrom at right angles to its axis of rotation, said bar being normally in position for swing thereof by said actuating member to lock or unlock the steering, means effective after swing of said bar to unlocked position to shift said bar to a position where swing thereof by said actuating structure will be ineffective to re-lock the steering, and a control operable by said actuating structure after shift of said bar for opening and closing an ignition circuit.

10. In a combination steering and ignition look, a rotatable locking bar shiftable from an effective to an ineffective position of operation, actuating means for rotating said bar in its effective position to lock or unlock the steering, means effective after rotation of said bar to unlocking position to shift said bar to its ineffective position, and a control operable by said actuating means after shift of said bar to open and close an ignition circuit.

11. In a steering look, a casing, a locking bolt in said casing operable in either of two fields of operation but being effective in only one of said fields to lock or unlock the steering, means for shifting the bolt to its ineffective field of operation after unlocking movement thereof in the effective field, and means for preventing removal of said bolt from said casing during such shifting.

ALEXANDER C. MABEE. 

